The new year approaches and as it draws nearer arms will begin to raise, and in each hand will be a glass, and in each glass a libation. As the midnight hour approaches more and more glasses will raise until, were the millions of libations allowed to flow into one another, and were gravity to join in the festivities and relax a little, a veritable river of spirits would form there just above our heads, flowing from hand to hand and from time-zone to time-zone, chasing the sun as it endlessly sets over the world.

And what sound will accompany this river of spirits as it’s bailed, glass by glass, into the air? Why the same sound that accompanies us everywhere, in all of our endeavors, great and small– the gush and tumble of words. Yes, my friends the toasting hour approaches, so before it catches us and our mouths inexorably up in its ebullient current let’s have a slightly closer look at this toasting business shall we? Glasses at the ready.



As best man at my stepson’s wedding, I gave the toast to about 100 people. The wine helped.

Here’s a good one:
Champagne to my real friends, real pain to my sham friends.—Tom Waits

I read a biography of Wellington called The Years of the Sword, covering his life up to Waterloo; there’s a second volume covering his remaining years in politics, which could hardly be as interesting, it seems to me. In any event, young officers would gather for epic drinking bouts, toasting each other’s health over brandy and port. There was one fellow, a doctor or chaplain, who avoided Wellington and his crew for quite a while. Eventually they cornered him. It would have been very impolite to refuse the invitation, or any of the toasts. He lay abed for three days.

posted on 12.30 at 11:23 PM.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)


Fake it till you make it.

VR/

posted on 12.31 at 02:38 AM.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)


Thanks, that was classic. Where did you get the photos?

The awesome Online Etymology Dictionary seems to disagree with your sources on the whole toast/burnt bread part:

toast (n.) “a call to drink to someone’s health,” 1700 (but said by Steele, 1709, to date to the reign of Charles II), originally referring to the beautiful or popular woman whose health is proposed and drunk, from the use of spiced toast to flavor drink, the lady regarded as figuratively adding piquancy to the wine in which her health was drunk. The verb meaning “to propose or drink a toast” also is first recorded 1700. This probably is the source of the Jamaican and U.S. black word meaning “extemporaneous narrative poem or rap” (1962).

This is backed by Pianigiani’s 100 year old Vocabolario Etimologico della Lingua Italiana, for what it’s worth.
To friendship! To etymology! To being a word geek! Cheers!

posted on 12.31 at 03:01 PM.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)


@Tom: That quote you attribute to T.W. is actually listed in the book I drew most of the quotes from. It was published in ‘27 and does not offer an attribution, which in the context of this particular book means it was, even by ‘27, seen as “traditional.” So it must be even older.

@Michelangelo: I was trying to grab you a specific paragraph from the “Toastsbook” link I listed by Paul Dickson, (I think) but it’s not loading (of course). There was a quoted paragraph purported to represent to specific occasion in which “toast” first shifted specifically toward a woman rather than the drink itself. In any case, thanks for the legwork!

The photos of Fred Astaire? They’re from a 1931 production of The Band Wagon, found on the NYPL site. 

Yes, To Etymology! To Word Dorks! To an active readership! To friendship! Cheers!

posted on 12.31 at 03:40 PMjmorrison


T.W. did indeed say it, but now you mention it, he never claimed it was original with him! As for Astaire, now I see it; I had actually suspected it was Fredric March in the photo! (In the film Best Years Of Our Lives, March and his costars drink so hard that keeping up with them would make a dangerous drinking game… I’m pretty sure I mentioned this before, here or at another site).

Incidentally, if you haven’t already, look up A History Of The World In Six Glasses. For some reason, the URL is ‘blacklisted’.

A very happy new year to you all!

posted on 01.01 at 12:35 AM.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)


In the booklet of National Toasts, the absolute best one was:

“Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.”

Fo’ Sho’.

posted on 01.02 at 04:15 AM.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)


I’m way behind but this was excellent!

Cheers!

posted on 01.20 at 07:20 PMachilles3


Here is the link to Paul Dickson’s Toasts Book .... http://www.toastsbook.com

posted on 01.22 at 12:20 AMAlex Hartman


This is interesting I need to catch up

posted on 06.25 at 03:28 AMforum


I really love this picture. Kind of the vintage pictures you get for decoring your hall.

posted on 09.15 at 12:57 AMMotorcycle Fairings

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